Cores of Wellstone

Administrative Core A

The Administrative Core A provides financial management and facilitates communications to support the research of Center investigators and trainees through web conferencing, maintaining a website, and organizing annual meetings and retreats, including the FSHD Patient-Researcher Networking meeting. The Administrative Core partners with FSHD patient advocacy groups, particularly the FSH Society, to organize meetings, facilitate patient-scientist communication, and encourage patient participation in research and clinical trials. The Administrative Core is located at the University of Massachusetts School of Medicine (UMMS), and is staffed by a Center Administrator, Kristen Maki, responsible for financial management, and Paula Nims, who provides administrative support for all Center activities, including retreats and internet conferences.

Cell Core C

The Cell Core C has generated and maintains a large and unique repository of FSHD biomaterials that have been the primary resource for all Center projects, including blood, muscle and muscle cells derived from biopsies. Blood and muscle biopsies of deltoid and biceps muscles were collected from over 30 FSHD families of FSHD affected and unaffected control individuals. Core C also provides bioinformatics support to all projects, under the leadership of Dr. Oliver King.